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review: rooftops of tehran

book info: on sale: now copy from: public library pages: 348 review written: 21.12.17 originally published: 2009 edition read: Penguin NAL 2009 title: Rooftops of Tehran author: Mahbod Seraji In a middle-class neighborhood of Iran's sprawling capital city, 17-year-old Pasha Shahed spends the summer of 1973 on his rooftop with his best friend Ahmed, joking around one minute and asking burning questions about life the next. He also hides a secret love for his beautiful neighbor Zari, who has been betrothed since birth to another man. But the bliss of Pasha and Zari's stolen time together is shattered when Pasha unwittingly acts as a beacon for the Shah's secret police. The violent consequences awaken him to the reality of living under a powerful despot, and lead Zari to make a shocking choice... my thoughts: This book was first published in 2009 and I remember adding it to my list around that time but never actually reading it since I preferred checking out library books to ...

The Secret

Who Wore it Better: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Who Wore it Better is an original meme I brought with me from Drugs Called Books. In it, instead of discussing fashion or cloths, we discuss book covers from different countries, and who has the best cover. The meme is co-hosted with the lovely Amanda from The Book Badger and will be featured on her blog every other week, so check her out as well!  

So after last week Amanda reviewed the different covers in Magic Study, we'll be starting a new series this week. So without father ado... Vampire Academy!
This series is probably one of the most well loved out there. It also has an unfortunate knack for shitty covers. See for yourselves - and I chose the best there were!

English One – well, this is probably the most well known cover of the series. It’s also the one I own. And I kind of think it’s butt ugly (it’s why I took ages to pick up these books). But I like it, just cause of the sentimental value, you know?... I mean, I hate faces on covers. And why did Angelina Jolie get cast as Rose, anyway? But whatever. It’s the content that matters. Though, I wouldn’t say I’m head over heels in love with the content, either… oh well.

English Two – this is the most recent cover redesign and… What. The. Fuck? Seriously? You redesigned the covers for this?! It has the exact same Angelina Jolie photo, only less opacity, the series name is WAY BIGGER than the title – which makes it hard to realize what is the title, and it’s mostly just this pink-red color. Worst redesign (almost) ever!

English Three – Well, hi there Mean Girls! Fancy seeing you here! Honestly, this one is bad too. It doesn’t bring any of the correct feelings for this book. There should be a vibe of danger, darkness, a bit of sexiness, action, friendship, etc… Yes, there is some vibe of Mean Girls in the book, but it’s hardly the main thing, is it? I would not pick up a book with this cover without a rec.

English Four – I love these covers. They’re so simple, yet perfect and beautiful. A Rose. Just a single Rose. And what’s our MC’s name? ROSE! And the background being blood red is also perfect. If I could’ve gotten these covers, I so would’ve.

Dutch cover – okay. Well, objectively, I suppose this cover is pretty. But what does it have to do with the book? Is her hair turning into butterflies? Or are those crows? What…

Turkish Cover – *coughcoughbuttshituglycoughcough*

Spanish cover – ohhh, me likey! It’s simple, yet perfect in a poetic sense – a rose covered in blood. And our main character is a Rose in a society of vampires. It fits! Plus, it gives the feeling of danger, hints at vampires, and appears quite dark. All in all, not bad at all!

Estonian Cover – again, objectively the cover is not bad. But it also feels like a poor representation of the story. Also, the model doesn’t feel like Rose (that’s not how a kickass Guardian would look like). Maybe it’s Lissa, but it feels strange that they’d put someone other than the MC on the cover of the first book…

Turkish 2 - Hello Photoshop! How have you been doing? Working your magic for Halloween, I see. That is indeed one creepy Barbie doll! I see someone broke her head and had trouble putting it back correctly. Oh well. 
Clearly, I find this cover completely disturbing with the bad photoshop and hella ugly.


Vietnamese cover - Okay I kinda… like this one?! I like the fact the background is all dark, with a girl in the night. Gives the right vibe – creatures of the night and all that, a bit dark and dangerous. Then there is Rose. She may not be how I imagine Rose, but I love the contrast – Rose is alive, Rose is firey, Rose is volatile. I get that feel through the cover. 


All in all, I really only like the forth English cover, and maybe the Spanish one...

Nitzan

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